Television Addiction

Does your life revolve around watching a certain show? Several shows? Every day? So many shows, that you have to tape a few of them on different VCR's as you watch another? If this is you, then you suffer from an addiction to the television.

What's your motivation when you get up in the morning? What motivates you at work or at home? Doing paperwork? Running errands? Doing chores? Is it to clean the house? To get things done? Just the feeling of accomplishment? Or is it because you need everything done by 7:00 pm, when "your" show is scheduled to air?

What if a child of yours is ill? What if an old friend of yours is in town for the day? Can you find it in yourself to tape yet another show or is there one show you HAVE to watch? The child can take care of himself. The friend will be in town some other day. The fire can put itself out. The car can park itself.

When sitting in front of the screen, is everything else a blur? Could one hear if a tornado was approaching or if an airplane crashed in the backyard? All that matters is what's on the tube at that moment in time.

Know anyone like this? I certainly do. If there isn't a particular show on for a day, then they lose all motivation to do anything, because, well, what's the point, anyway? But, if "24," "Two and a Half Men," "New Adventures with Old Christine," "ER," "Joey," "Boston Legal," "Numbers," "The West Wing," "CSI: Miami," "CSI: Las Vegas," "CSI: the other one," "NCIS," "The Unit," "Commander-in-Chief," amongst others, are on, then hold the phone, hold the door and doorbell, put everything on hold, because they will be zoned out in front of that television screen. If there was only a job that paid to zone out in front of the television, this person and many others, would be millionaires. Yeah, let's hope that doesn't happen. The obesity problem we currently have in this country would seem like nothing compared to what it'd be like if people made millions from sitting on a couch and watching television.

Solution to the problem: Turn the tv off, go outside, and jog.